Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-30
MEDICAL SCIENCE AND YELLOW
FEVER


FEVER.
From time to time, during the past
five years, reports have been received,
first from Brazil and then from Mexico,
of the successful application of inoccu-
latien as remedial measure in dealing
with yellow fever. In short, the claim
has been made by both Brazilian
and Mexican physicians that they
had utilized Jenner's theory as
mitigant for the horrors of
the scaffron scourge which has slain
countless numbers on both the continents
of America. At first these claims were
received with incredulity in the medico-
scientific world, where nothing is taken
for granted until it is proven, but year by
year so many interesting and generally
credible accounts have continued to
emanate from the above mentioned
sources that at last medical science in the
United States was aroused to interest,
and at the last session of Congress the
matter was brought to the attention of
that body, and so successfully that an ap
preparation was made for the purpose of in
shutting careful investigation of the
MexIcan-Brazilia methods of inoccula-
ton as a preventive Of yellow fever.
The President has quite recently named
distinguished surgeon CT the United States
to prosecute the investigation contem-
plated by Congress, and in due time we
suppose the country will have the benefit
of the surgeons observations and deduc-
tions. 1t Is possible, and certainly it is
to be hoped, that the claims of the B-a-
lillian and Mexican physicians are not
mythical. In those countries, but nota-
bly, in Brazil, yellow fever is the most
dreaded maladY, and nowhere else in the
world, perhaps, are the conditions so
favorable for observing all its phases and
peculiarities. 1t should not be astonish-
ing if, spurred by the ravages Of the dis
ease, Brazilian physicians have expert
mented with unusual and intelligent vigor
to find out if nature, in her benefcence,
has not furnished remedy or st least a
means of mitigating the seventies of the
malady. The world groaned under the
scourge of smallpox until Jenner an
nounced his theory of vaccination, which
at the outset received more sneeTs and
jeers than compliments. And SO Pasteur,
the famous French savant, seems to be on
the road to perfecting q remedial agency
for dealing with hydrOphobia, while in
Asiatic countries medical science is eX-
perimenting and investigating with the
hope that at no distant day cholera will
be brought within bounds and subjected
to medical Controlas surely and absolute
ly as is now the case with smallpox. If
nature is merciIess and memorable in the
execution of her laws, it is also reason
able to believe she is just and that
for every i'll she inficts on the human
family in the shape of disease that
she has also provided remedy or miti-
CANT. Congress acted wisely in proVid-
ing for an investigation of the alleged yell
low fever remedies, and it is to be hoped
the report of the expert charged with the
inquiry will be of a favorable and encour-
aging nature. This southern section of
the country is weary of Yellow Jacks &C.
casionsl terrible vista tons, with their
attendant shotgun guarantees, depopula
ton Of towns and prostration of trade.
When medical science is prepared to deal
with yellow fever as confidently and in
telligently IS it does with smallpox, this
shotgun quarantine will soon be but a
memory of the past.